.\" @(#)irc.1 2.6 7 Oct 90
.TH IRC 1 "7 October 1990"
.SH NAME
irc \- User Interface to Internet Relay Chat Protocol
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBirc\fP [\fB-p\fP \fIportnum\fP] [\fB-c\fP \fIchannel\fP] [ \fInickname\fP [ \fIserver\fP ]]
.SH DESCRIPTION
.LP
\fBIrc\fP is a user interface to the Internet Relay Chat, a CB-like
interactive discussion environment.  It is structured into \fIchannels\fP,
which are public discussion forums, and also allows for private intercommunication.
Each participant has a \fInickname\fP, which is the one specified in the command
line or else his login name.
.LP
Once invoked, \fBirc\fP connects as a client to the specified server,
\fIserver\fP or to the default one (see below).  The screen splits into a dialogue
window (the major part
of the screen) and a command line, from which messages can be sent and
commands given to control irc.
.SH COMMAND SYNTAX
The syntax of irc commands is of the form \fB/COMMAND\fP.  The most notable
ones are listed below.  For an uptodate list, use the \fBHELP\fP command
of \fBirc\fP.  Case is ignored.
.IP "\fB/ADMIN\fR [\fIserver\fP]"
Prints administrative information about an IRC \fIserver\fP.
.IP "\fB/AWAY\fP [\fImessage\fP]"
Mark yourself as being away (with an automatic reply \fImessage\fP
if specified)
.IP "\fB/BYE\fR, \fB/EXIT\fR, \fB/QUIT\fR"
Terminate the session
.IP "\fB/CHANNEL\fR [\fIchannel\fP]"
Join another \fIchannel\fP
.IP "\fB/CLEAR\fR"
Clear the screen
.IP "\fB/HELP\fR [\fIcommand\fP]"
Display a brief description of the \fIcommand\fP (or list all commands, if none
specified).
.IP "\fB/SUMMON\fR \fIuser\fP"
Allows to summon a \fIuser\fP specified as a full Internet address, i.e.,
\fIlogin@host.domain\fP, to an IRC dialogue session (in much the same
way as the talk(1) command).  It is usable ONLY if the irc daemon runs on
the target machine (host.domain).
.IP "\fB/TOPIC\fR \fItopic\fP"
Sets the \fItopic\fP for the current channel
.IP "\fB/WHO\fR [\fIchannel\fP|*]"
Lists all users of IRC if no argument, of the specified \fIchannel\fP or of the
current channel (*).
.SH ARGUMENTS
.IP "\fB-p\fP \fIportnum\fP"
TCP/IP "port number.  Default is 6667 and this option should seldom if ever"
be used.
.IP "\fB-c\fP \fIchannel\fP"
\fIChannel\fP number to join upon beginning of the session.  Default is no channel.
.IP "\fInickname\fP"
\fINickname\fP used in the session (can be changed with the \fB/NICK\fP command).
Default is user login name.
.IP "\fIserver\fP"
\fIServer\fP to connect to.  Default is specified in the irc system configuration
file, and can be superseded with the environment variable IRCSERVER.
.SH EXAMPLE
.RS
.nf
tolmoon% \fBirc -p6667 Wizard tolsun\fP
.fi
.RE
.LP
connects you to irc server in host tolsun (port 6667) with nickname Wizard
.SH COPYRIGHT
Copyright (c) 1988 University of Oulu, Computing Center, Finland.
.nf
Copyright (c) 1988,1989,1990 Jarkko Oikarinen
.nf
All rights reserved.
For full COPYRIGHT see LICENSE file with IRC package.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
ircd(8)
.SH BUGS
What bugs ?
.SH AUTHOR
Jarkko Oikarinen <jto@tolsun.oulu.fi>
.nf
Manual page updated by Michel Fingerhut <Michel.Fingerhut@ircam.fr>
